Kaleidoscope

I don't own anything here, not even the song. But my Senior graduation is coming up...nah, not going to happen.

There's a calm surrender
To the rush of day
When the heat of the rolling world
Can be turned away
An enchanted moment
And it sees me through
It's enough for this restless warrior
Just to be with you

Kaoru slid the door of the dojo open, sweat dripping down her forehead. Practice had gone well that morning, earning both Kaoru and Yahiko a break. She glanced around the courtyard, looking for her favorite person. Just as her eyes wandered over to the bathhouse, he stepped out of the shadows, broom in hand.

"Kenshin," she called, "what are you doing?"

The man looked up at her, his violet eyes meeting her indigo ones. "Oh, Kaoru-dono! Sessha was just cleaning the bathhouse. How was practice this morning?"

"Hot, but it went well. I think it would go better if it weren't so hot out." Kaoru moved to stand in the shade beside Kenshin.

"Would you like Sessha to run you a bath?" Kenshin asked, setting a hand on Kaoru's arm.

"Yes, please, I would appreciate it very much." Kenshin nodded and moved to start, taking his hand from Kaoru's arm. She rubbed the spot; it was tingling and cool.

Kenshin flexed his hand as he went to work. The strange sensation wouldn't leave. It remained as he filled the tub with water and started a small fire. This wasn't the first time he had experienced the sensation, but it was certainly the longest.

"Kaoru-dono, it's ready." Kenshin turned to find Kaoru standing behind him, one arm full of clean clothes.

She placed her hand on his scared cheek. "Thank you, Kenshin. I don't know what I would do without you." Kaoru pulled away and entered the bath, from which she emerged sometime later. Her eyes searched for Kenshin.

He was sitting in the sun, laundry before him. Half of it already hung drying; the rest was still in the bucket. Kaoru walked over to him and he looked up at her approach. He took her practice clothes from her and began to wash them. Her eyes watched him, softening with worry.

She crouched down next to him, careful of her kimono, and took one of his hands. He looked up at her startled. "What's wrong, Kenshin? You're restless today."

"What do you mean?"

"You've cleaned the dojo, the house, the bathhouse, and now the laundry. We haven't even eaten lunch yet and you've cleaned everything," Kaoru informed him.

"This one knew he was forgetting something." He jumped up, almost knocking Kaoru over. "This one will have lunch done in a minute."

Kaoru pulled on his sleeve before he got to far. "You are too restless today." Kaoru stood, her eyes on the ground. "What's wrong? Why are you like this? It's not you."

"It's nothing. It's already passing just standing here with you." Kenshin and Kaoru were both shocked at his words.

Kenshin recovered first, sort of. "Well…um, this one should make lunch before Yahiko returns." He quickly slipped past Kaoru and into the kitchen.

Can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight
How it's laid to rest?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best

"Psst! What's up with those two?" Sano squinted at his two friends, trying to see what was passing between them. He had been watching Megumi watch them all through dinner.

The female doctor glared at him. "Something you know nothing about."

"Hey, Megumi." She turned her head to the new voice, Yahiko. "It's love isn't it? The thing that's between those two and what Sano knows nothing about."

Megumi seemed shocked. "Yes, yes it is."

"You're too smart for your own good sometime, kid." Sano told the kid.

"Well, sometimes you're too stupid. It's obvious and tangible," Megumi countered for Yahiko. "Can't you feel it? Something's moving between them."

Though they didn't know it, Kenshin and Kaoru heard every word. Kaoru's eyes rested on her hand and her face glowed red. The rurouni's eyes were wide, but he was not surprised. Megumi was right, the feeling was very tangible.

Kenshin stood quietly and, feeling three pairs of eyes on him, moved around the table to the glowing young woman. He ignored the eyes, reaching down to take one of Kaoru's hands gently. Her sapphire eyes rose to meet amethyst for a split second before returning to her lap. He tugged gently, wordlessly asking her to follow. She did, feeling shy for the first time in a while. Three pairs of eyes followed them out and three mouths hung open in shock.

Kenshin led Kaoru to one corner of the courtyard, under the sakura tree standing there. "Kaoru-dono, what this one said—"

"You didn't mean it, did you?" Kaoru interrupted.

"What would make you think that?" Kenshin asked, not believing she had asked in the first place.

"Well, you seemed really shocked you said it and then you avoided me all day. It wasn't until now that you spoke to me." Kaoru took her hand from him and held it fisted over her heart.

"And you took that as this one didn't mean what he said?" She nodded, her eyes not moving from the ground. Kenshin reached up with one hand and tilted her face towards him. "Then you are a silly girl, Kaoru-dono. Having you stand there made this one feel at rest. It makes Sessha believe in the very best of everything."

"Aww, aren't they cute?" a girl's voce whispered.

"Shut up, Misao, you'll ruin the moment." Four pairs of eyes now watched the couple, but they were all female: Megumi, Misao, Tae, and Tsubume.

"Megumi's right," Tae agreed. "Be quiet; it's finally happening."

There's a time for everyone
If they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope
Moves us all in turn
There's a rhyme and reason
To the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager
Beats in time with yours

A smile appeared on Kenshin's face. "Close your eyes, Kaoru-dono; Sessha has something to show you." Kaoru closed her eyes and allowed Kenshin to take one of her hands. With his free hand, Kenshin reached among the tree branches and brought down a sparkling blue tube with an open end. He placed it in Kaoru's empty hand and said, "Open your eyes."

Kaoru's eyes opened, gazing at the object in her hand. "What is it?"

Kenshin led her to the nearest light, and then stood behind her. "It's a kaleidoscope. Here." Kenshin lifted the opening to one of her azure eyes. He smiled at her gasp of joy; he turned it, causing her to laugh in delight. He brought it down and she turned. "Do you like it?"

"Oh, yes. It's a wonderful thing." Kaoru nodded.

Kenshin put it back in her hands. "Then it's yours."

"I couldn't; it's yours. It looks so old and taken care of."

"Kaoru-dono, Sessha is giving it to you. It reminds him of life and life reminds him of you." He curled her fingers around the scope. "It's yours now."

Kaoru held it close. "I'll treasure it. But, if you don't mind me asking, why does it remind you of life?"

Kenshin turned her towards the light, bringing it to her eye again. "If you watch the colors, they each move in turn, always making a new picture. If you think about it, each person moves to make a new picture; every person moves in turn." Kaoru opened her mother for a new question. "For your next question, Kaoru-dono, it reminds me of you because of the blue one. There is only one like it, though is may seem there are more. It moves along making each image more beautiful than the last." Kaoru smiled back at him. "Come now, it's getting chilly and we should go in."

Kenshin began t lead Kaoru back to the porch. He held one hand and in the other was the kaleidoscope. He looked back at her and received a smile. Kaoru let him lead her and brought the kaleidoscope back to her eye. She didn't see a rough patch in the path and tripped on it. Kenshin turned to catcher as she threw out both hands to catch herself. The kaleidoscope flew from her hand as Kenshin caught her. Kenshin hit the ground first, cushioning Kaoru's fall. They both watched the kaleidoscope plummet to the ground and shatter all the glass inside.

Kenshin's eyes watered but he blinked them dry and helped a crying and apologizing Kaoru to her feet. "Sessha will take care of the mess in the morning. Do not worry about it and go off to bed." Kaoru sent him one last apologetic look before trudging off.

Sano came soon after. "Isn't that—?"

Kenshin nodded. "Yes, it was the last thing this one has from childhood. It represented laughter and life, but Sessha guesses that's over now. Goodnight Sano."

Kaoru covered her mouth in shock. Kenshin had given her something important to him and she broke it. She waited until she heard Kenshin fall asleep, and then snuck out to the courtyard. Kaoru crouched over the pieces and picked them all up, making sure not to miss any. She crept back to her room and wrapped the pieces in a cloth until tomorrow.

Kenshin awoke the next morning and immediately went to clean the kaleidoscope up. He arrived at the path and looked around; the pieces had already been cleaned up. He shook it off as nonsense and started on breakfast.

Kaoru emerged from her room ready to greet her challenge. She carried a cloth bundle with her, stopping by the kitchen momentarily. "Kenshin, I'm going to the market quickly. I'll be back soon."

"Breakfast will be waiting," was his reply.

Kaoru quickly made it to the market and to a craftsman. She showed him the broken kaleidoscope. "Can you fix it?" she asked the man.

"Hmm, for a few hundred yen and a couple hours, I'll have it right as rain." Kaoru reluctantly handed the man payment and promised to return after lunch. She then went home to wait.

"Sano, have you seen Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked his friend.

"Jou-chan? She slipped out about an hour ago. Said she had some business to take care of."

"I'm home!"

"Did you have fun at the market, Kaoru-dono?"

"Yes and I even got to see Tae-san while I was out."

Kenshin smiled. "Good to hear. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Let me go put things away and I'll be back." Kaoru walked to her room, bundle held close.

Kaoru walked toward Kenshin's room, careful not to jostle the package. She looked around, watching for anyone, before sliding open the shoji. Inside, the room was clean and orderly. Kenshin's tatami mat was neatly folded and his sakabato sat in one corner. Kaoru quietly removed the cloth wrapping from the bundle, revealing a paper wrapped cylinder. She placed it on the folded mat and left.

She returned to the kitchen, having hidden the cloth in her room, to find Kenshin laying dinner on the table. Sano and Yahiko were already seated when Kaoru joined them. They ate the meal as usual, Yahiko and Sano fighting over the last rice ball. Yahiko resorted to chewing on Sano's head. While Sano proceeded to fail at removing the boy from his head, Kaoru reached over and took the fought over food. The fighting pair glanced over at her and glared at her innocent smile. He then helped Kenshin clear the table and disappeared outside.

Kenshin put the last dish away and started for his room. As soon as he placed his hand on the door, he knew something had changed. He slid it open and looked around; nothing seemed out of place, but when he stepped from the doorway, light fell across his mat and the object on it. Kenshin picked it up and inspected it before tearing the wrapping away. He stared in shock before running out.

He dashed into the courtyard, his amethyst eyes scanning the area. They settled on the young woman seated among the roots of the sakura tree. Kenshin strode over to her, object clutched in one hand.

Her eyes flicked up to him briefly. "I see you found it."

When Kenshin crouched beside her, Kaoru turned her face away. "Why do you turn from this one Kaoru-dono?"

She kept her eyes averted while she answered. "You must hate me. I broke the thing you cherished most. I fixed it but that's no repair for what I did."

Kenshin gently placed his fingers under Kaoru's chin and turned her to him. Her sapphire eyes avoided looking at him. "You did not break what this thing cherishes most unless you broke yourself." He held the kaleidoscope up. "This is what this one cherished before he had you. That's why Sessha gave it to you, what Sessha cherished most before to the one Sessha cherishes now." Kenshin took his hand from Kaoru's chin and claimed one of her hands. In it he placed the fixed Kaleidoscope. "You fixed this even after Sessha said he would take care of it. The kaleidoscope belongs to you now."

"But—" Kaoru tried to give it back.

Kenshin silenced her with a finger and closed his hand over hers holding the scope. "Just accept it, Kaoru-dono. Here," he took her empty hand and placed it over his heart, "do you feel that?"

Kaoru nodded, splaying her fingers wider. Her slender fingers wiggled around feeling his heart beat steadily. She could feel it beat in time with hers. "Our hearts—they're beating together."

The ex-samurai smiled, genuinely. He grasped her wrist in one hand and pulled her close. "Something must be right then. It is said that hearts only beat together when true love is about. Can you feel the love tonight?"

"Yes." Her blue eyes locked with his.

"Good." Kenshin brought her close and kissed her gently. When he pulled back, her eyes and smile were soft.

"Mmm, what was that for?"

"Do you always question gifts?"

"Only sometimes."

"Well don't' question this one, Kaoru-dono." He kissed her again. He then took the kaleidoscope from her. He looked at the closed end, carefully prying the glass out.

"I just had that fixed! What are you doing, baka?"

He just smirked and continued. Soon he extracted an object, quickly hidden and replaced the glass. "Don't question gifts, Kaoru-dono." He opened his hand to reveal a simple silver band. Nothing decorated it except two interconnected scrolls. "This ring is yours, Kaoru-dono, if you'll answer a simple question."

"Sure," she said nervously.

"Will you marry this one, as unworthy as he may be?" His gaze captured hers, blue mixing with purple.

Kaoru tore her eyes from him, confusion creasing her face before a smile, one of those 'I got and idea' smiles, graced her lips. "On one condition. You have to stop calling me Kaoru-dono."

Kenshin looked surprise. "It may take some practice, but this one will try. So will you, Kaoru?"

Kaoru wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Of course, Kenshin-no-baka."

"Ooh! Aren't they so cute!" a dark haired girl exclaimed. Megumi and Tae silenced her.

"Shut up. You'll ruin the moment," the doctor whispered harshly.

They returned their eyes to the couple, who sat comfortably in each other's arms, sakura blossoms swirling around them.